Ashley Smith gained
nationwide fame when the Atlanta
shooting suspect held her captive in her own
home. Smith softened her captor's
heart by reading him selections from the book,
The Purpose Driven Life,
and telling the fugitive that God had a plan for
his life. Now Smith will
have the opportunity to do some writing of her
own. Recently, she signed
a deal for an upcoming book to be released in
the Fall of 2005.
Smith's captivity came as she
was trying to get her
life back on course after struggles with a
record of petty crimes and the
death of her husband. She hopes the new book
will encourage many others
to turn their lives around. Smith said, "I'm
uncomfortable becoming the
focus of this event, which left so many families
in tragedy. But after
prayerful consideration, I believe that God is
calling me to use this opportunity
to not only turn my own life around but also to
inspire others to do that
too." The financial details of the deal were not
disclosed, but Smith has
pledged to use a portion of the proceeds to
establish a memorial fund in
honor of the victims of the shooting.
—Associated Press. Famed
hostage to write book on
her ordeal, June 15, 2005. Illustration by Jim
L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.
1 Corinthians 14:3 (NKJV)
"But he who prophesies speaks
edification and exhortation and comfort to men."
________________________________________
OPPORTUNITY
The Marine Reserves' Toys for
Tots program reversed
an earlier decision and decided that the group
will be able to accept a
talking Jesus doll after all. The charity had
originally refused to accept
4,000 of the one-foot dolls from a Los Angeles
company because of the religious
nature of the toy. The bearded Jesus doll
recites scripture such as "I
tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom
of God unless he is born
again," and "Love your neighbor as yourself."
Bill Grein, vice President of
Marine Toys for Tots
Foundation, said the program donates toys to
children based on financial
need and as a government entity, Marines, "don't
profess one religion over
another." Grien said the Marines did not know
the children's backgrounds
or religious afflictions and did not want to
cause offense. He said the
organization has found appropriate places for
the talking Jesus dolls saying,
"We have notified the donor of our willingness
to handle this transaction."
—http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/58178.aspx.
Illustration
by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.
Colossians 4:3-5 GNB "At the
same time pray also for
us, so that God will give us a good opportunity
to preach his message about
the secret of Christ. For that is why I am now
in prison. Pray, then, that
I may speak, as I should, in such a way as to
make it clear. Be wise in
the way you act toward those who are not
believers, making good use of
every opportunity you have."
OPPORTUNITIES
In his book, "Next Generation
Leader", Andy Stanley
writes, "As I listen to leaders tell their
stories, I hear very little
about strategic planning and goal setting. I
hear a lot about identifying
and acting on opportunities. Strategies and
goals have their place. But
they don't define leadership. Leaders see and
seize opportunity. And in
most cases, the opportunities take them by
surprise."
—"Next Generation Leader",
60. Illustration by Jim
L. Wilson
Esther 4:14 (HCSB) "If you
keep silent at this time,
liberation and deliverance will come to the
Jewish people from another
place, but you and your father's house will be
destroyed. Who knows, perhaps
you have come to the kingdom for such a time as
this."
OPPORTUNITY
When the New York City
Department of Education decided
to ban the use of public schools by religious
organizations, an area pastor
said the ban is troubling for constitutional and
practical reasons and
an unprecedented occasion to demonstrate the
love of Christ. Ray Parascando,
pastor of Crossroads church, says they have been
meeting in Public School
52 for more than four years. He says the
occasion is a need for the church
to step out, “not in a rallying way, but in a
loving sense.” He says finding
space will be difficult to find another space if
they have to move, and
that things were still up in the air.
Crossroads has maintained a
good relationship with
the Department of Education by sponsoring sports
camps, and participating
in a program to help paint schools in all five
boroughs, including the
one they meet in. Parascando feels the ban in a
bad idea, but he knows
God has a purpose in it. He said, “When people
accuse and try to discredit,
God’s going to sue it to do more. He’s doing
that, but it concerns me as
a Christian and as an American that our rights
are being manipulated this
way.” He plans to hold a press conference to
present the facts before the
ban goes into effect, and hopes it will be
reversed. Parascando says if
the ban is enacted, Crossroads will comply. He
adds, ”We’re going to leave.
We’re not going to march or anything like that.
The 12th is the last day
we can be there, and then that’s it. We don’t
agree with it, but we’ll
have to abide by it as good citizens.”
NYC ban on churches ‘major
opportunity’ for Christians,
http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?id=37002 ;
January 20, 2012, Illustration
by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.
1 Corinthians 16:8-9 (GW) I
will be staying here in
Ephesus until Pentecost. (9) I have a great
opportunity to do effective
work here, although there are many people who
oppose me.
OPPORTUNITY
When
Isabel Larios was stuck in LA traffic after an
accident on her way to work, she
made the most of it. Instead of complaining,
she got out of the cab of her food
truck and opened up for the other motorists
waiting for the road to clear. National
Public Radio reported that she “served eggs,
burritos - really giving new
meaning to breakfast on the road.” —Jim L.
Wilson
